Adapter for connecting a belt buckle with a belt



March 18, 1969 s. A. NYBERG E AL ADAPTER FOR CONNECTING A BELT BUCKLEWITH A BELT Filed May 15, 1967 /2 FIG. I.

is STANLEY ANYBERG FIG. 3. JOE osr INVENTORS A T TORNE Y United StatesPatent Office 3,432,895 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An adapter for connecting a belt buckle with a belt andcomprised of a rectangular body plate and a hinge plate of substantiallythe same width, hinge means pivotally connecting corresponding ends ofsaid plates in spaced relation at the sides thereof, inwardly projectingbelt engaging teeth along the end of one of said plates adjacent saidhinge means, at least one inwardly turned buckle engaging hook on onesaid plate at the end thereof opposite said hinge means, and an inwardlydirected perpendicular spacer along the edge of the plate other than theone including said hook and positioned opposite the latter when bothsaid plates are closed relative to each other.

This invention relates to belt buckle adapters of the type having a bodyplate and a toothed hinge element for engaging one end of a belt andarranged whereby the remaining end of the belt may be engaged in thebuckle carried thereby.

An object of the invention is to provide a belt buckle adapter capableof engaging either tongue or trophy buckles.

Another object is to provide a belt buckle adapter of the type referredto including friction means for holding the hinge plate in its closedposition.

A further object is to provide a spacer on the hinge plate where-by thelatter will be parallel with the body plate when the hinge plate isclosed, and at the same time cover the end portion of the belt receivedtherebetween.

Another object is to provide side walls on the body plate to cover theedges of the received portion of the belt, yet provide means receiving aconventional belt loop.

A further object is to provide a belt buckle adapter which, whenconnected with a belt and buckle, is relatively thin and fiat forappearance and comfort.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken side elevational view of a belt showing the presentadapter connected with a trophy type buckle.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged inverted perspective view of the present adapterin its open position.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the adapter in its closed position, and

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE 1, butshowing the adapter connected with a tongue type buckle.

An adapter according to the invention includes a rectangular body platehaving perpendicular side walls 11 along the sides of the body plateextending from one end of the body plate to substantially two-thirds thelength thereof. At the end of the remaining length of the body plate 10there are two spaced inwardly turned buckle engaging hooks 12, and inthe body plate between the hooks there is a buckle tongue receiving slot13. At the ends of the side walls 11 opposite the hooks 11, and in thesame plane as the side walls, there are projecting ears 14 which have todo with a hinge action to be described. Similarly, at the remaining endsof the side walls 11 there are projecting friction tabs 15. The materialof the body plate 10 and its integral parts, including the tabs 15 andhooks 12, is capable of some spring action.

A hinge plate 16 is pivotally connected at one end with the ears 1'4,and for this purpose there are holes 17 in the ears which receivelaterally projecting pins 18 on the end of the plate. On the end of thehinge plate 16 adjacent the pins 18 there is a row of perpendicularteeth 19 which are directed toward the body plate 10 when the hingeplate is closed. Similarly, there is a perpendicular spacer 20 on theremaining end of the hinge plate, the width of which spacer is such thatthe two plates 10 and 16 are parallel in their closed position. Whenclosed, the tabs 15 frictionally engage the sides of the hinge plate 16and the hooks 12 frictionally engage the spacer 20. The hinge action ofthe adapter provides for accommodating a conventional belt loop 21 whichis positioned around the body plate 10 between the ears 14 and the tabs15.

When using the present adapter the belt 22 to be worn may be initiallycut to length at its buckle end, which end is inserted between the teeth19 and the body plate 10, and through the loop 21, while the adapter isin its open position. The adapter is then closed, which action causesthe teeth 19 to grip the belt 22. When fully closed the tabs 15frictionally engage the sides of the hinge plate 16 and the books 12frictionally engage the spacer 20. The spacer 20 also provides a closureat the ends of the hooks 12.

A trophy type buckle, such as shown in FIGURE 1, is usually comprised ofa slightly arcuate ornamental plate 23, an elongate ring 24 on the backand near one end thereof where it is pivotally held in place by eyes 25,and an arcuate pointed pin 26 on the back and near the other end of theplate. The pin 26 is inclined inwardly for engaging the usual holes, notshown, in the free end of the belt 22. Thus, the portion of the elongatering 24 opposite the eyes 25 may be engaged in the hooks 12 by openingand then closing the hinge plate 16. A tongue type buckle 26 having apintle 27 or other cross bar on which a tongue 28 is pivotally mountedis similarly attached to the adapter by placing the pintle or cross barin the hooks 12 when the adapter is open.

What is claimed is:

1. An adapter for connecting a belt buckle with a belt, said adapterbeing comprised of a rectangular body plate and a hinge plate ofsubstantially the same width, hinge means pivotally connectingcorresponding ends of said plates in spaced relation at the sidesthereof, inwardly projecting belt engaging teeth along the end of one ofsaid plates adjacent said hinge means, at least one inwardly turnedbuckle engaging hook on one said plate at the end thereof opposite saidhinge means, an inwardly directed perpendicular spacer along the edge ofthe plate other than the one including said hook and positioned oppositethe latter and closing the hook when both said plates are closedrelative to each other, and friction tabs on the sides of one said platepositioned to engage the sides of the other said plate when the adapteris in its closed position, said hinge means and References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 10/1904 Smith 24l92 9/1907 Sude1l 24192 4 Kreisler.

Signorelli 24192 X Rufihead et al. Rust. Mendosa. Roy.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner.

